We all love our Pug, but the truth is not all people love dogs and some may even be scared of them. It’s not okay for a small dog to jump on you or other people like they’ve got springs on their feet, and you need to stop this unwanted behavior. If you want to learn how to stop a Pug from jumping on you or others, you’re in the right place.
How to Stop A Pug From Jumping On You And Others?
The only way to stop a Pug from jumping up is with proper training. It will take persistence and patience until your Pug understands that behavior is not tolerated. I’ll go into detail below on how to stop your Pug from jumping or lunging from excitement.
Read this article if you want to stop your Pug from jumping on the bed or couch.
Before you can start training your pooch, you first have to understand why this behavior is rooted in canines. I’ve put together a list of some Pug puppy training that is vital for all Pug owners.
Related: How to Discipline A Pug
What Causes This Behavior?
Puppies learn this behavior from an early age. Studies show that puppies would jump up and down to lick her face to get her to drop the food. Since puppies can’t talk like you and me, it was their way of communicating or asking their mother for food.
This is a submissive manner to let the mother know that they want more food. The behavior is firmly in dogs and unless they are trained not to do it, they don’t know any better.
Why Do Pugs Jump On Humans?
There are several reasons that your Pug is jumping on people, however, the biggest reason is they are excited and want to greet them. Dogs get excited whenever they meet a stranger, especially, if the person is looking and smiling at them.
If you’ve had your Pug for a while, then you know they love attention. My Pug loved to be petted and belly rubs. She thought that whenever someone new came into the home, they came to pet her.
Most people think it’s because dogs want to test their dominance, but that usually isn’t the case with this breed.
If you watch two dogs interact in a dog park or in public, you will notice that they sniff each other’s butts and touch noses. This is normal canine behavior, but you never see a dog jump on another dog when they first meet.
This canine ritual is similar to how humans greet others by shaking hands or hugging. Since your Pug can’t do either, they jump up when they meet a stranger, whether it is an adult or child.
Why You Need To Stop This Behavior
According to statistics about 85 million people own a pet in the United States. However, that being said, NOT everyone is going to find your Pug cute and cuddly and will be happy with them jumping all over them.
Even though your Pug’s intentions are good, this is extremely annoying behavior that shouldn’t be tolerated. In fact, this behavior is not only annoying but can cause all kinds of problems such as:
- Causing bruising and injuries to people with their nails.
- Scaring people who are afraid of dogs.
- Biting people when they are excited.
- Knocking over kids or older seniors and causing serious injuries.
- Dirting and ruining people’s clothing.
- Stealing food from people that can cause them harm.
These are just some of the reasons that you should stop a dog from constantly jumping.
Management
This just basically means that you’re taking away the opportunity for your dog to jump on people in the first place. You can restrain your Pug from jumping up on people by; restraining them on a leash, putting them in a crate, or confining them in another room.
These management techniques will help you control unwanted behavior until your dog has been trained to stop jumping on people.
Whenever your Pug is allowed to jump on people, the behavior reinforced. They eventually learn that jumping is rewarding because you are allowing it and they are getting the attention they crave.
Training Techniques To Get Your Dog To Stop Jumping On You And Others
Maybe you’ve already tried the no eye contact, no touching the dog until it’s calm, or turning your back on the dog. However, it’s not very simple to tell a guest to ignore your cute Pug until they are calm and have all four paws are all planted on the ground.
Some people won’t listen, some will even tell you that it’s okay as they have a dog too, so they totally understand.
However, if you’re not consistently training your pooch to stop jumping. You are just reinforcing the bad behavior that you don’t want to see.
If your Pug is jumping on people, it’s time to put a stop to it. These tips will help you stop that unwanted behavior.
The great thing is that it’s not that hard to teach a dog not to jump. You won’t need to use any severe aversions or tools. The hardest part is having the patience and persistence to follow through.
Stop Them From Jumping On Other People
1. Put a harness and leash on your dog and keep them about 3-5 feet away from the guests. Ask the guest to refrain from giving your Pug any attention until they have all 4 paws on the ground.
2. Ignore your pooch. Dogs jump on people because they are looking for food, playtime, attention, or etc. The best way to get them to stop is to ignore them.
Ignoring them means, not touching them. If you put your hands on them or give them any attention, as far as they are concerned, jumping worked. You’ll want to turn your back to them, look away, and even fold your arms so you don’t touch them.
3. Teach your pooch to sit whenever you get some company or meet anyone new. When your dog is sitting, they won’t be able to physically jump up at the same time.
4. Have your dog to his mat or his/her space whenever people come through your front door.
5. Tell your friends and family not to let your dog jump on them. Most people will be fine with it, but make sure that you let them know your pooch is in training.
If you decide to implement the contradictory behavior, (teaching them to do something specific like laying on their mat). Make sure that everyone in your household understands the rules and follows through.
When You Walk Through The Door
1. Only greet your pooch when they have all four paws on the ground.
2. Keep them confined to a specific room using a baby gate while you are gone. When you get home, only approach your four-legged friend once they are calm and not showing signs of excitement.
3. Try getting down to their level by sitting or kneeling. When you are at their level, they will be less likely to jump on you.
While You’re Playing With Them
1. Remove the object that is causing your Pug to get overly excited and stand like a statue. Wait until your Pug calms back down. Once they have four paws on the ground, give them the toy as the reward.
2. Whenever you’re playing with your Pug, keep toys at their level, rather than holding them high up in the air. Your dog will be less likely to jump up to get the toy.
Getting A Treat
1. Give them the treat at their level. You’ll want to lower the treat down to their chest level or put it on the ground so they won’t have to jump up to get it.
2. Don’t give them the treat until they have calmed down and are sitting or all four paws are on the ground.
What Not To Do
Never use any form of punishment to train your Pug. This means that you shouldn’t knee your Pug in the chest or yank or pull on the leash to correct the bad habits.
If you correct the leash or knee the dog too hard, you can seriously injure your dog. A knee to the chest can cause your dog to lose their balance. They may also think that you’re playing with them and continue jumping behavior.
Pulling the leash too hard can cause this brachycephalic breed to struggle with breathing problems. Your dog will eventually become scared of the leash and won’t want to wear it anymore.
Consistency Is The Key
Everyone who interacts with your dog needs to keep these rules consistent, even grandma and your children. This habit will be harder to break if this training only works for some people and not everyone.
Persistence and consistency will help keep your pooch from jumping on people when everyone gets involved with the training.
Reward Your Pooch
Rewarding your dog is just as important, especially, if you want them to learn the new behavior of No Jumping. Only reward your pooch when they have four paws on the ground, or sitting down calmly.
You can use treats, huge amounts of petting. Some people have also had success using marker signals such as a click or “yes”. Just remember to follow up on your dog’s good behavior with a reward so they’ll understand what you expect from them.
Final Word On Controlling Your Pug From Jumping On People
It’s important to set some disciplinary standards for your Pug. The great thing is that this breed lives to make their humans happy.
Every dog has its own unique personality, and some may take longer to train than others. My Pug used to jump on people and I hated it.
However, with consistent training, we were able to get her to stop the bad behavior.
References and Further Reading
Science Direct – Peter Rezac – Factors Affecting Dog Jumping On People